Casey project to begin prep this fall

The as-yet unselected contractor for the Casey Arborway project is expected to begin site preparation work early this fall and demolition is expected to begin over the winter.

The completion of the project, which will replace the 50-year-old Casey Overpass with a six- to eight-lane surface road, is still expected to take place by September 2016, a deadline frequently brought up during the lengthy community process.

According to the project team, the federally provided funds that will pay for the project expire at that time.

State Department of Transportation spokesperson Michael Verseckes recently admitted to the Gazette that there is a chance that deadline could be missed. However, he explained this week, that does not mean the whole project would be compromised.

“The vast majority of funds” from the federal Accelerated Bridge Program (ABP) “are expected to be either spent or obligated by September 2016,” he said. If the project misses that crucial deadline, the state would be able to use funds from a state bond program to complete the project.

The project timeline is still being devised in a way that would incentivize its contractor to complete the project in time and penalize the contractor for delays.

Verseckes did not provide details as to those incentives and penalties by the Gazette’s press time.

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